Flares of Yellow and Black
by LainellaFay
Summary: They are Rikkaidai. That's all there is to it. Rikkai-centric slice of life shots.
1. Kill the King

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.**

* * *

**Rating:** T  
**Genre:** Friendship, Drama, Humour  
**Characters:** Kirihara Akaya, Niou Masaharu, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Marui Bunta, Jackal Kuwahara, Yanagi Renji, Sanada Genichirou, Yukimura Seiichi  
**Warning(s):** Some swearing

**Summary:** The Rikkai regulars celebrate Yukimura's birthday.

* * *

**Kill the King**

"Onwards, my friends!"

Kirihara, donned in a knight's suit, swung a fake Styrofoam sword in an overhead arch. Jackal, crouched on all fours, moaned at his pitiful state and 'trotted' forwards, shaking his head left to right in an overly exaggerated manner and made pitiful excuses for neighs. Yukimura lazed in his seat, left heel hooked round his right ankle at the front of the makeshift stage.

"Oh no, Sir Kirihara." Marui unsuccessfully tried to hide a snort. Kirihara glared at the volley specialist standing before him. Marui was also dressed similarly to Kirihara, albeit lacking a 'horse'. Jackal neighed in annoyance. "King Pepapiteta's defences are impenetrable! News have arrived that King Pepapiteta has employed the service of the most powerful wizard in the universe, Niou Masaharu the Great!" Marui turned to the side and shook with laughter. _"Sorry," _he whispered under his breath when Kirihara glared yet again.

"Preposterous!" Kirihara snapped, sticking his nose up in the air. "Yer merely a coward! Niou Masaharu the Great is not more than a legend. King Papi—Pepati—" Kirihara stumbled over the horrific name and flushed red, "Pepapiteta is a fool if he thinks it'll frighten me! Me! Kirihara the Red Eyed Demon!"

Yanagi, dressed in brown robes, dropped down onto the floor beside Yukimura. Clapping lightly, Yukimura faced the data master and whispered, "What are you doing here, Renji?"

Kirihara pouted on the stage as he spotted his captain shift his attention from himself to Yanagi. "Yukimura-buchou!" he called out, waving his hands around, just short of stomping his feet on the ground.

"My apologies, Akaya. Please continue."

"Soldier Marui, get back in line. We're heading in," Kirihara sternly continued the play. Swinging his sword recklessly in the air, Kirihara accidentally stabbed Marui right in the face when the red head moved.

"Ow! Fuck!" Marui groaned, clutching his nose. Gasping, he remarked, "You killed me!"

"I thought I'd join you, Seiichi. It was quite pathetic seeing you all alone down here," Yanagi answered.

_"__I did not!"_ Kirihara hissed, _"Shut up and just continue the damn play!"_

Yukimura's eyes didn't leave the stage as he spoke to Yanagi, "I suppose your presence ought to remove that pathetic scene?"

"Of course."

They watched as Marui scuttled to his position with a huff. Kirihara prodded Jackal with his toes and the Brazilian crawled a few steps, before coming to a stop in front of a 'brick' wall which mysteriously appeared. Yukimura spied the white tennis shoes Sanada wore at the bottom of the 'brick' wall and sniggered. "Sanada didn't want a speaking role, did he?"

"Sir Kirihara," Marui inquired, "however shall we get past this obstacle?"

Kirihara grinned menacingly and pointed his sword at the 'brick' wall. "Foolish question, Soldier Marui. Why, of course we CHARGE!"

With the yell, Jackal crawled as fast as he could forwards while Kirihara followed his pace with a battle cry, arms ready to swing. Marui followed more sluggishly, his own sword dragging across the stage floor, and a weak, "yeah" as his own battle cry.

However, before they could land a hit on the wall, it bellowed, "_Thou shall not pass!"_

"What the—" Kirihara screeched to a stop, pulling Jackal by the back of his shirt. Marui crashed into his back and Kirihara sent another death glare at the red head, who sheepishly stepped back. "Who addresses me?"

Yukimura's eyebrows rose to his hairline and Yanagi laughed silently. "There are no non-speaking roles, Seiichi." The two friends eyed Jackal and Yanagi corrected himself, "Well, kind of. Jackal does _speak_, in a way."

"It is I," Sanada boomed, and the wall shook intimidatingly. "Who dares pass the Ferocious Wall of King Pepapiteta?"

"I, Kirihara the Red Eyed Demon. Here to slay your king!"

"Oh? Try as you might, Kirihara the Red Eyed Demon. You shan't get past me!" With that, the 'brick' wall advanced as Sanada took a step.

"Nothing will stop me!" Roaring, Kirihara jumped and knocked the wall down with an 'oomph'. Yukimura clapped with a smile on his face. "Take that, you so-called Ferocious Wall of King Pi—Pepi—Pepapiteta!"

"A tongue twister, that name," Yukimura commented softly to Yanagi.

"Indeed. Akaya has never gotten it right on the first try even during rehearsals."

"Who chose that name?"

"Why, who do you think, Seiichi?"

"Oh, Sir Kirihara," Marui swooned on the stage, his face tomato red, almost the same shade as his hair as he struggled not to burst into laughter. "You have conquered the Ferocious Wall of King Pepapiteta! All that's left is Niou Masaharu the Great!"

"Let's go, troops!" Kirihara commanded. With that, the trio proceeded forth, Jackal neighing here and there as they paced the stage.

"Oh, it's my turn," Yanagi said, picking himself up from the ground and brushed off the dust on his robes. With a few short strides, Yanagi climbed onto the stage and cleared his throat. Pulling a piece of parchment from his sleeve, Yanagi read, "Kirihara the Red Eyed Demon, his faithful horse, Jackal, and Soldier Marui travelled the lands of King Pepapiteta for days, defeating thousands on enemies in their way. Finally, they arrive at the gates of the palace, where two strange men await."

Folding the parchment, Yanagi slipped it back up his sleeve and jumped off the stage, returning to the floor beside Yukimura.

"Niou?" Yukimura answered, as Yanagi stretched out on the floor.

"Naturally."

"You've finally arrived, Kirihara the Red Eyed Demon," Niou sneered on the stage, dressed in a deep blue cloak, the same coloured floppy hat atop his silvery head, and a hastily wrapped pole in his left hand. "I was afraid you had perished along the way."

"You underestimate me!" Kirihara shouted. "Who might you be?"

Marui hid behind Kirihara's back and whispered, "Niou Masaharu the Great. I'm sure of it."

"Who am I? I am who you think I am. A wizard, a horse, a wall, a knight. For I am the Great. Niou Masaharu the Great," Niou exclaimed, spreading his arms wide. A slight tilt of his head to the right, he continued, gesturing to a similarly dressed brown haired male, "Oh, and that's my apprentice, Yagyuu."

"I can introduce myself, master."

"Lies!" Kirihara seethed. "Niou Masaharu the Great is nothing but a legend for fools!"

"Oh?" Niou smirked. "You must be the fool for not believing in my greatness."

Marui poked Kirihara in the back. "I told you."

"Silence, Soldier Marui. You're out of line," Kirihara snapped. Jackal neighed and grunted. "No matter who you are, I shall defeat you!" Kirihara charged, sword first at the duo.

Niou and Yagyuu jumped to the side and Kirihara struck at thin air. Waving his 'staff' around, Niou yelled, "Pepepepepepepepe!" and made a stabbing action towards Kirihara.

Kirihara cried out and fell to the ground, clutching his chest in exaggerated agony. "No!"

Niou laughed evilly and he relaxed his body. Turning to Yagyuu, he said, "And that's how you do it, apprentice."

"A wondrous lesson, master."

"I am not defeated yet, _wizard_," Kirihara panted, pushing himself off the ground where he'd fallen. "Do not underestimate me again." With a sharp glance at Marui, he bellowed, "NOW, Soldier Marui!"

"Yes, Sir Kirihara!" Marui yelled and swung, catching Niou in the legs, and Niou fell forwards, his 'staff' clattering on the floor, rolling away.

"Master!" Yagyuu screamed exaggeratedly. Yukimura clapped earnestly from his seat.

"Hah! Not so great, now are we?" Kirihara taunted, resting on his sword. However, Yagyuu stopped mid-scream and shook with laughter, each second, his laughter getting more and more menacing. "W-what?"

"Fools. Every single one of you. Fools." Dramatically whipping his wig and glasses off, 'Yagyuu' transformed into Niou and Kirihara gasped. "I am Niou Masaharu the Great."

"But, but—" Marui stuttered and looked at the fallen wizard, whose own wig disappeared, to be replaced with smooth, brown hair.

Niou took a step and the duo shuddered. The wizard took another step and suddenly, he fell over, knocking himself unconscious. A closer look, Kirihara saw Jackal retract a hand—or leg in the case of his role—and cried, "Oh you _lovely, lovely_ horse!"

Together, Marui and Kirihara celebrated. Not for long however, for they still had one last job to do.

Kill the King.

Looking at each other with fierce determination written on their faces, Kirihara nodded at Marui and commanded, "Stay here. I have to do this alone."

"Yes, Sir Kirihara. Good luck."

"I need no such thing." Thumping a fist on his chest, Kirihara said, "Skill and power, that's all." Swiftly, he turned and walked away from a hysterical Marui. He shot another glare at the red head and shook his head. Kirihara walked, walked, and walked, when out of the blue, he flew off the stage and stopped in front of Yukimura, the tip of his sword at Yukimura's neck. "Got you, King Pete—Pepapiteta!"

Yukimura quirked an eyebrow and loudly remarked, "What horrible naming sense, my parents must have had." Quieter, he said, "Good job, Akaya. That was entertaining."

"Hey!" Marui injected, "It wasn't all him you know. We did work too!"

"Happy birthday, Yukimura," Sanada gruffly congratulated.

Surrounded by his friends, Yukimura laughed and said, "Thank you."

* * *

**A/N:** A series of Rikkai shots of various lengths. Will be added to randomly.


	2. Cloud Watching

**Rating: **K+  
**Genre:** General, Friendship  
**Characters:** Yukimura Seiichi, Yanagi Renji  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary:** Yukimura annoys Yanagi with his incessant proclamations about the shape of clouds.

* * *

**Cloud Watching**

"Renji," Yukimura mused, "do you think that cloud is flipping me off?"

Yanagi raised his head and answered, "I suppose if you have an abundance of creativity."

"You don't see it, do you?" Yukimura asked, looking at his friend from his peripheral vision. Yanagi frowned and Yukimura raised a finger, tracing the shape of the cloud. "That's the fist. The fingers are curling up—you see it? Then the little bit sticking out of it—see, it's flipping me off. So blatantly at that!"

Yanagi shook his head at his friend's antics and remarked, "Seiichi, your imagination is quite fearful."

"You're simply duller than a textbook, Renji."

"Funny."

Barely two minutes later, Yukimura piped up, "Renji. A rabbit wearing shoes."

Yanagi turned to stare at his friend grinning up at the sky, eyes twinkling and glued to the visible mass of condensed water vapour floating in the air, completely ignoring the screeching of tennis shoes on the courts, the _twanging_ of racket strings, and the barking commands of their vexed vice-captain towards unfortunate second-years. "Yes, Seiichi."

"You're not even looking."

Yanagi raised his head yet again, seeing nothing peculiar amidst the white swirls in the blue sky. "Cute."

The ends of Yukimura's lips were pulled down into a frown. Folding his arms across his chest, Yukimura indignantly said, "It's gone. The wind blew it away." He was just one step away from pouting. "That's the weakest attempt at lying I've ever witnessed from you, Renji."

The data master sighed.

Time seemed to crawl by for Yanagi as Yukimura continuously declared a particular cloud to be something and something—Ironman, a sheep holding an axe, a butcher in a flower shop, Sanada constipated; to name a few.

"Renji! Look," Yukimura excitedly commented, stabbing his index finger in the air, "the National's flag!"

"Seiichi…"

"We're going to win, Renji," Yukimura confidently announced. "Even the heavens are hinting it to us. Our third National's win. We have it in the bag."

"You don't believe in divination."

For the first time since practice started, Yukimura removed his gaze from the clouds and stared at the data master. His blue eyes were clear and unwavering; it made Yanagi snap into attention, so different from his previous head to the clouds behaviour—the reason why Yukimura had his team's full trust and believe in him. Then, as if it never happened at all, his face relaxed into a soft smile.

"It doesn't hurt to believe in the greater powers once in a while."

* * *

**A/N: And...they lose in the end. Dun-dun-dun...**

**Short, short, very short. So sorry, but I've been doing Maths all day and my brain is mush. Really just a pointless piece of drabble in which Yukimura has an imaginative mind and enjoys cloud watching.**


	3. Study Till You Drop: Part I

**Rating:** K+  
**Genres:** Friendship, Humour, Drama  
**Characters:** Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yanagi Renji, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Niou Masaharu, Marui Bunta, Jackal Kuwahara, Kirihara Akaya  
**Warning(s): **None

**Summary:** Mid-term exams are returned and some are less than satisfactory.

* * *

**Notes to clear things up:** I'm kind of following the high school subject system where I'm at. Stage 1 means a lower level (easier), Stage 2 is harder than Stage 1 (somewhere in the middle) and Stage 3 is the highest level (the most advance stage).  
Second Years (E.g. Akaya) is equivalent to Year 11 – so most of the subjects he'll be taking would be Stage 2s.  
Third Years would be equivalent to Year 12 – so most of the subjects they'll be taking would be Stage 3s and the occasional Stage 2s (if any).  
They do eight subjects in total.  
I know this doesn't fit the Japanese schooling system, but I think it would be wiser to use a system I'm familiar with (even then, I'm adapting it) rather than butcher the Japanese schooling system with my lack of knowledge.

* * *

**Study Till You Drop: Part I**

"We have a problem."

The Rikkaidai boys tennis clubroom had been cleared out of all its initial equipment and furniture, save for two large couches and a small rectangular wooden table in the middle. Kirihara sat trembling on one of the pinkish-red couches with his palms on his knees. Yukimura and Yanagi sat opposite him, as they surveyed the sheets spread out on the table.

_Mathematics Stage 2 – 62%  
Japanese Literature Stage 2 – 70%  
Modern History Stage 2 – 77%  
Geography Stage 2 – 64%  
Chemistry Stage 2 – 73%  
Human Biology Stage 2 – 89%  
Physics Stage 2 – 47%  
English Stage 1 – 32%_

"Akaya, when are your retakes?" Yukimura asked, fishing out his Physics and English papers from the mess.

"Monday for English and Tuesday for Physics."

"Five days," Yukimura muttered, running his hand through his hair as he flipped through the papers, cringing at the splash of red ink over the pages. Looking at the younger boy, Rikkai's captain said, "Alright, wait outside. Oh—" he injected as Kirihara stood up on shaky legs, "—tell Sanada to bring Jackal in."

"Yes, Yukimura-buchou."

Kirihara darted out of the door in a flash. Not long after, the bald Brazilian entered, shutting the door with a soft click and took a seat where Kirihara vacated mere minutes ago.

"Any retakes?" Yukimura asked straightforwardly.

"One."

"Japanese Literature Stage 3," Yanagi supplied, "forty-three percent."

"And the retake is on Wednesday," Yukimura mused. "That isn't too bad. Jackal, I thought you faired quite well last year?"

Jackal sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Not really, Japanese Literature have always been a sore point for me. I barely scraped through the prerequisites for Stage 3."

"Okay, okay," Yukimura mumbled. A little louder, he said, "Get Marui please."

"I think Sanada's already got him, I'll just let him know that, um, right," Jackal said before leaving the refurbished clubroom.

Marui pushed the door open before it even managed to shut, popping a bubble with an obnoxious _pop_ and jumping onto the couch, sprawling atop it. "Buchou, Yanagi," he greeted. He handed the stack of papers in his hand to the two. "My results."

Yanagi spread them out on the table and the two scrutinized them.

_Mathematics Stage 3 – 52%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 87%  
Economics Stage 3 – 88%  
Geography Stage 3 – 54%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 92%  
Human Biology Stage 3 – 82%  
Physics Stage 3 – 84%  
English Stage 3 – 78%_

"No retakes," Yukimura said, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, but I think Takeda-sensei and Yoshira-sensei advised me to pull up my marks for their classes or I'll risk failing. The scaling system and all that—" Marui waved a hand in the air "—you know."

"Mathematics and Geography Stage 3," Yanagi said, "indeed, I see what they mean. The data states that you're under the average for these subjects and the scaling could affect your grade negatively."

"I know! A bunch of bullshit you tell me."

"No matter, we'll focus on those two, we wouldn't want you to risk failure and not be able to participate in the Districts," Yukimura said, dismissing the red head's complaints. "Alright, bring Niou in please."

Marui gathered up his papers from the table and turned to leave when Yukimura glanced down to his lap and spotted Kirihara's pile of exam papers he subconsciously placed there. "Wait, Marui." Holding his arm out, Yukimura said, "Pass them to Akaya for me if you don't mind."

Marui raised his eyebrows, haven't quite mastered the one brow quirk their resident Trickster had, and nodded. Shamelessly, he thumbed through the papers and chuckled as he walked towards the door. "Look at all these angry red lines Bakaya received!"

"Privacy, Marui," Yukimura chided loudly, the words slipping through the closing door.

"It's not as if you didn't look at them!" Marui yelled back from the other side of the door. Yukimura heard a short yelp, probably Marui, and a loud guffaw, Marui and Niou combined, presumably. Marui must have had flashed Kirihara's papers to Niou. Yukimura exchanged glances with Yanagi and shook his head.

"If you don't mind, Niou!" Yukimura shouted. "We don't have all day!"

The doorknob turned and Niou's silvery head popped through the gap. "Alright, alright, sheesh, keep your pants on." His head disappeared from the gap and Yukimura heard him speak to Marui, "_Wait a bit—"_

"Niou!" Yukimura irritably groaned.

"Seiichi, your right eye's twitching."

Yukimura covered his eyes with a hand and groaned once more. The one sure sign he's annoyed—behold, the majestic twitch in his right eye! "I'm aware, Renji."

"Who ate your cat?" Niou entered with a smirk. Kicking his legs up, the silver head laid across the couch, legs crossed at the ankles on one end and head resting on the arm rest on the other. His papers were tossed onto the table during the process.

_Mathematics Stage 3 – 96%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 75%  
Mathematics Specialist Stage 3 – 88%  
Geography Stage 3 – 71%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 56%  
Human Biology Stage 3 – 81%  
Physics Stage 3 – 93%  
English Stage 3 – 65%_

"Chem's the only area to watch out for. Well done, Niou," Yukimura said.

"I'm in the clear."

"The scaling for Chemistry is negative," Yanagi explained. "Previous statistics shown a pattern in Chemistry's scaling of negative eight percent for Rikkai students. It's best to avoid that when the time comes. We don't want it to interfere with the Nationals."

Niou rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out. "Right, are we done? Marui and I have plans to laugh the brat to death."

Yukimura handed him his papers and said, "That's the worst murder technique I've ever come across." A pause. "Don't traumatize Akaya too much, Niou. His retakes are in a few days and it is crucial he passes them."

A shark-like grin emerged on the Trickster's face as he stood. "An inspiration will hit me along the way. Your presence throws my Satanic mind down the drain, being so _holy_ and all." At the look on Yukimura's face, he added, "Don't worry. We won't do anything _too_ bad."

He was out of the door before Yukimura could instruct him to call Yagyuu.

"I still don't know how I deal with his shit, Renji."

"It's been six years."

"Exactly my point." Yukimura pulled out his mobile and sent Sanada a text.

The door pushed open to reveal a spectacled brunette. "Yukimura-kun, Yanagi-kun, you requested for me?"

"Yes, we were just inquiring about your exam results? The rest have already informed us their grades."

"My apologies," Yagyuu said, sitting down primly on the open couch, straight-backed and hands on his lap. "I don't have possession of a few papers at the moment, they're still undergoing some last minute changes."

"Japanese Literature, Economics, and Politics and Law Stage 3," Yanagi inputted.

"Yes, that's right," Yagyuu said, not the least surprised at their data master's knowledge.

"That's alright." Yukimura shrugged. "I'm only interested in any retakes or potential retakes."

Yagyuu kept silent as he thought, eyes blinking behind reflective lenses. "No retakes. But Human Bio is pretty shaky, my marks are fluctuating and that might be something of concern."

"We'll see what we can do. Thank you, Yagyuu."

"My pleasure, Yukimura-kun. Yanagi-kun." Yagyuu nodded and smoothly left the clubroom.

Sighing, Yukimura leant back and crossed his ankles. Kirihara—their Second Year Ace—held the position of _Most Likely To Be Banned From Club Activities_ for the third consecutive time, not including _his_ third year alone in middle school. Rikkaidai held its academic prestige as high as its reputation at sport tournaments, any club member—especially regulars—who failed a single course would be restricted from participating in practice, let alone tournaments.

Minutes ticked by until Yukimura finally snapped out of his daze and said, "Renji, gather the team."

.~.

Surveying the faces before him—Kirihara slightly pale and still trembling—Yukimura folded his arms across his chest and announced his findings. Kirihara, Jackal, Marui, Niou, and Yagyuu required some sort of tutoring; Kirihara and Jackal the most due to their upcoming retakes. He, Yanagi, and Sanada managed to keep their grades up and unaffected by the meddlesome scaling; something Yukimura breathed easily for.

"Right. How shall we do this?"

* * *

**A/N:** **The following are the exam results for Yukimura, Yanagi, Sanada, Jackal, and Yagyuu. I like to use this as somewhat of a guide to how I characterize them. By what subjects they take, and how they score in them—like a way of seeing where they'd go and do in the future. Kind of ****_my_**** way to plan for another fic I'm writing (lols).  
But, just some little character introspective stuff for you readers?**

Yukimura:  
_Mathematics Stage 3 – 85%  
Health Studies Stage 3 – 94%  
Human Biology Stage 3 – 97%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 81%  
Physics Stage 3 – 74%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 79%  
Music Stage 3 – 90%  
English Stage 3 – 70%_

Yanagi:  
_Mathematics Stage 3 – 99%  
Mathematics Specialist Stage 3 – 92%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 68%  
Economics Stage 3 – 86%  
Politics and Law Stage 3 – 77%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 93%  
Physics Stage 3 – 91%  
English Stage 3 – 82%_

Sanada:  
_Mathematics Stage 3 – 72%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 89%  
Modern History Stage 3 – 84%  
Outdoor Education Stage 3 – 98%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 73%  
Physics Stage 3 – 75%  
Geography Stage 3 – 62%  
English Stage 3 – 66%_

Jackal:  
_Mathematics Stage 3 – 70%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 43%  
English Stage 3 – 67%  
Portuguese (Background) Stage 3 – 91%  
Home Economics Stage 3 – 86%  
Physics Stage 3 – 77%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 74%  
Economics Stage 3 – 88%_

Yagyuu:  
_Mathematics Stage 3 – 82%  
Japanese Literature Stage 3 – 81%  
Economics Stage 3 – 86%  
Politics and Law Stage 3 – 95%  
Human Biology Stage 3 – 57%  
Chemistry Stage 3 – 71%  
Physics Stage 3 – 64%  
English Stage 3 – 79%_

**Up next in Study Till You Drop: Part II ****\- **Sessions are set up, groups are made, and it's time to get cracking and studying.

**(This may or may not actually be the next chapter.) **


	4. Tickle-Tackle-Tussle

**Rating: **T  
**Genres:** Humour  
**Characters:** Kirihara Akaya, Niou Masaharu, Marui Bunta  
**Warning(s):** Some swearing

**Summary:** Kirihara falls prey to the vile contraption hidden on the tennis courts.

* * *

**Tickle-Tackle-Tussle**

This was _not_ how he visualized his first official tennis practice at Rikkaidai to be.

Kirihara Akaya had a rumble of an earthquake trying to show off his prowess a few weeks back. It wasn't until a few days ago was he officially accepted into the boys tennis club by none other than the Three Demons. Kirihara had whistled a joyful tune on his walk, or rather, skip to school, eagerly awaiting the paragon that would be tennis practice.

Unfortunately, one step onto the courts and Kirihara found himself dangling upside down by the foot; a thick cord tethering him to a branch of the large oak tree, a manifold of feathers tickling his entire body. Above his own shrieks and giggles, Kirihara could hear the roaring of laughter from the other club members who had the pleasure of watching a skinny first year tortured to the inch of his life.

His maniacal laughter aside; Kirihara Akaya was _not_ a happy boy.

Wriggling like a worm, he desperately tried to steer away from the feathers, but it proved difficult, attacking him from all angles. His breaths became short, his laughter turning into gasps of oxygen, and Kirihara would bet his entire fortune—of a measly nine-eight dollars, if lucky—that his face was as red as a tomato.

Next thing he knew, he was face planted onto the ground.

The tension in the rope must have gotten too large, and snapped it cleanly into two, dropping the young boy down from his rather weak prison.

Kirihara was able to enjoy ten blissful seconds of tickle-less moments, using them efficiently to take in as much oxygen as he could, before he was _yet_ again, attacked by the dreaded piece of scrap.

What in _hell_ was that anyway?

Some sort of robotic mutant with dozens of feathers as arms, Kirihara observed through blurry, teary eyes. He rolled on the floor; left, right, left, right, left, left, left…to get away from the _monster_, but it followed him, like a dog to a bone, it chased him and Kirihara could do nothing but fear for his life. Perhaps he'd laugh himself to death. That would be something interesting to put on his gravestone.

_Kirihara Akaya, death by laughter_

Heck. He might even make the news.

But…heavens no! He still has a lifetime career of professional tennis, and no way he'll drop dead before he even steps into the professional circuit!

With a sudden boost of energy, Kirihara flailed his hands in the air and latched onto the—leg?—of the robot mutant…thing. Pulling with all his might, Kirihara toppled the machine over and it fell clumsily onto the ground, arms still moving the feathers viciously around in the air.

Kirihara panted, swiping the back of his hand over his mouth, uncovering a large grin.

His silent celebration was short-lived however.

A hard shove to his back and Kirihara was sent back to the reach of the tickle monster. Human atop machine, Kirihara tussled with the thing, desperate to emerge the victor. He, after all, really, _really_ didn't want to die then and there; no matter how close death seemed to be. He was Kirihara Akaya and he'd put up one hell of a fight, dammit!

"Fuck," Kirihara heard a muttered curse. "Sanada's going to come in a bit."

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," another voice answered frantically, "stop that thing. We have to get it out before he comes."

"I can't find the off switch," the first voice said.

"Oh my god, we're dead. We're so dead." Kirihara rolled his eyes at the second voice after landing a well aimed punch to the machine—head? _He_ was the one at the risk of death here! "Quickly, Niou!"

"Alright, alright, got it," Niou triumphantly said and seconds later, Kirihara could breathe normally again, his stomach in horrifyingly tight knots from the intense workout. Forced laughter with no end _was_ a dreadful workout, alright?

He shut his eyes and basked in the sunlight, unable to stand up just yet. Kirihara felt a feet prod him in the shoulder and squints open an eye. Bright red hair enters his vision and a loud pop echoed—that second year…Marui-senpai?

"You okay, kid?"

"No thanks to you," Kirihara replied, recognizing Marui's voice to be the second one earlier.

"Yup, you're fine." Marui smirked in his direction before vanishing from his narrow vision. "How long more do we have, Niou?"

"Maybe a minute."

"Fuck, come on. Let's get this out of here."

Kirihara slowly sat up, blinking owlishly around. The two second years were wheeling the robotic mutant across the courts, towards the exit. Kirihara grimaced just looking at it. He could still _feel_ the feathers on his body. Just before the two went out of hearing range, Kirihara heard Niou speak to Marui.

"I got to thank the robotics club for this. Best thing I've seen in a few months."

Kirihara swore to get revenge on the, now, very much hated club from that moment on—or, rather, Niou Masaharu for launching it on him. It _was_ the easier option after all.

* * *

**A/N: Just completed my exams, now fully done with high school. Whew. Horrible as I felt the exams to be...it's over. Results await me in like a month or so? So...**

**Anyways, now that I'm free, I'm going to try to update more frequently. Short drabbles here and there perhaps. I have a tumblr by the way, the link's on my profile. I blog miscellaneous stuff relating to my fandoms/fanfic writing etc. **


	5. First Impressions Are Most Lasting

**Rating:** T  
**Genre:** Drama, Humour  
**Characters:** Marui Bunta, Niou Masaharu  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary:** The first time they met, they only felt disdain for the other. It just went downhill from there really. After all, first impressions are most lasting.

**A/N:** This is in reference to a headcanon I wrote on my tumblr a while back – in which I mentioned that Niou and Marui never got along in the beginning until after many momentous events.

* * *

**First Impressions Are Most Lasting**

It was during the orientation camp.

Marui was running late. A quick stop to the coffee shop for an espresso and a croissant, Marui was later seen dashing off to Rikkai University Junior High Department for his three day orientation camp. All because his heinous devil of an alarm clock had to run out of battery in the middle of the night, remaining stuck at the numbers: two, and ten.

The tip of the building came into view and Marui picked up the pace, his bag bumping against the back of his thighs as he ran. He sped across the grounds, heading straight into the first building he saw. Signboards directed him to the meeting area where Marui _hopes_ still hold the group, he really didn't want to go on a wild goose chase around Rikkai University Junior High Department; it was a massive school.

Boisterous chatter filled his ears and Marui could sing 'Hallelujah". He skidded into the group and tried to blend in, keeping his pants to the minimum despite how fast his heart was racing, acting as if he had been there the entire time.

His espresso had long been cold in his hand but Marui paid it no mind, sipping it tenderly. He glanced around, hopeful for any familiar face in the crowd; he hadn't heard of any of his primary school friends entering Rikkaidai.

A horrid stench of body odour entered his nostrils and Marui grimaced, moving away as best he could in the crowd, drinking steadily from the Styrofoam cup as he did so.

Unfortunately for Marui, waking up late was not the least of his worries that day.

An unlucky step to the left saw Marui tripping over another student's foot. Marui's arms flailed around to regain his balance, and so did his espresso. The coffee shot out of the cup in a projectile motion; Marui watched in slow motion, his face distorting into utmost horror.

And because Marui was the most pitiful chap of the day, very much unaided by the sheer amount of people gathered together in a single spot, the espresso completed its projectile motion on the body of a _very_ displeased male.

Silver strands of hair dripping with brown liquid, startling ice blue eyes, and a vicious snarl on his face, the boy looked very menacing indeed.

But what bothered Marui wasn't the fact that he had dumped coffee all over someone, nor the fact that the particular someone looked as if he was going to throttle him to death.

No. It was the striking silver hair that did it, really.

See, Marui had two younger siblings. He was used to having to fight for his parents' attention in the house. His own bright red hair gathered attention from schoolmates and strangers alike, and Marui basked in the attention, not something that came freely at home after all and Marui would take what he could get.

So now, being in the presence of someone else with hair colour as obnoxious as his…Marui was not pleased one bit.

Needless to say, for the silver haired boy, Niou Masaharu—he simply did not like the gaping red head who had dumped coffee all over him.

So you see, the first time Marui Bunta and Niou Masaharu met, they only felt disdain for the other. It just went downhill from there really. After all, first impressions are most lasting.

* * *

**A/N: I love headcanons. **


	6. Dreams

**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **None  
**Characters:** Yukimura Seiichi  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary: **Yukimura Seiichi has one goal. He will see to it despite what everyone else says.

Inspired by the quote: _"__You say I dream too big. I say you think too small." – Unknown_

* * *

**Dreams**

"You're mad," that's what they always say.

"It's possible," Yukimura insists, with a smile on his face. "You'll see."

"Your son has a problem," they tell his parents, who agree solemnly.

Yukimura turns his back to them. The so-called 'realists'-he won't let them dampen his dreams. He'll never let that happen. Because he'll do it, they'll see. He'll do it.

Before he knows it, he's graduating from high school. All of his friends are on their path to University, while Yukimura sits at home tightening the strings of his tennis racket. His parents cannot look at him without shaking their head and sighing, bemoaning their fate at raising a son who had no future.

He'll show them.

He plays in small tournaments, and comes first for most of them.

They still tell him his dream is impossible. "Go to University, Seiichi. Please. Get a normal job; with your grades, you can become a doctor, you'll have a future, Seiichi," they beg, but Yukimura ignores their pleas, and continues to play tennis. Just like he always wanted.

He is invited to play in the junior U.S. Open: "All expenses will be paid for by your sponsors. They have high hopes for you, seeing your record," the man says.

His family still shakes their heads.

They don't see him off when he leaves for America for his debut in the professional circuit.

Yukimura can't say he's upset. He's shown them, so he departs with a big smile on his face.

* * *

**A/N:** **I am ignorant on the process to become a pro. I apologise for this lack of research. **


	7. Girlfriend

**Rating:** T  
**Genre:** Friendship, very very small romance, humour  
**Characters:** Kirihara Akaya, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yanagi Renji, Marui Bunta, Niou Masaharu, Jackal Kuwahara, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Tachibana An  
**Warning(s):** M/F, KiriAn (if it's not your liking), implied sexual situations, crude language

**Summary:** In which Kirihara tries to reveal the identity of his girlfriend to his teammates.

* * *

**Girlfriend**

"Senpai-tachi, I'm dating-"

The rest of Kirihara's words were swallowed by the crying of the tennis ball machine.

"You're doing what, Akaya?"

"I'm not doing, I'm _dating_-"

A rumble and the clattering of metal parts on the tennis court.

"Sanada, Renji, fix that thing. Akaya, I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"I _said_, I'm _dating_-"

"I told you to _fix_ it not _break it further_!" Yukimura barks at the two. With an apologetic glance, the Rikkai captain left Kirihara with his jaw hanging open.

"Hey, brat, you were saying?" Niou asks, propping an elbow on Kirihara's shoulder. "I heard you say you're dating?"

"Yeah, I'm-" The tennis ball machine completely fell into pieces, and Yagyuu and Jackal ran off to help the Three Demons gather the parts that were rolling all over the courts, wreaking havoc. Niou cocks his head and stares at Kirihara. The younger boy sighs and shakes his head. "Never mind."

The first time Kirihara Akaya tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, the tennis ball machine breaks down, louder than an elephant doing the salsa.

.~.

"Who're you texting, brat? _Girlfriend?_" Niou teases, while Marui ruffles up Kirihara's already messy hair. Kirihara blushes deep red and stuffs his mobile into his pocket.

"That's right," Jackal muses, "Akaya, weren't you saying something about you dating someone sometime back?"

"Yeah! Then the tennis ball machine broke down!" Marui laughs boisterously.

"Come on now, let the boy speak for himself," Yukimura tuts. Kirihara smiles at his captain, a word of thanks already on his tongue when Yukimura continues, "Name, age, school, when, and where, Akaya?"

"Buchou!"

Niou sniggers behind a palm. "You heard the captain. Fess up."

Kirihara looks at his teammates, all having stopped at the side of the road in anticipation of Kirihara's exciting news. "I-"

"Holy fuck!"

"Is that-? Fuck, is she...?"

"-don't think so. Her hand's moving-"

"-anyone calling the ambulance? Should we? I mean, no one seems to be-"

"Yeah, Jackal, quick-"

"I can't believe we just—"

"Where's Yukimura?"

"Seiichi's over there at the bushes."

"...is he? Yeah...he is. God, is he going to be alright?"

"He will, he just can't stand the sight of blood-"

"Where's the ambulance?"

The second time Kirihara tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, someone got hit by a car.

.~.

_I saw you. We're over._

Kirihara stares blankly at his mobile. Jackal calls out to him and he only manages to small mutter in response.

"You wanted to speak to us?" Marui prompts.

Kirihara numbly shakes his head. "No, nothing."

The third time Kirihara attempts to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, she broke up with him over a text message, accusing Kirihara for something he absolutely did not know.

.~.

"You haven't told them?" she asks and Kirihara shakes his head.

"There haven't been any opportunities to," he says, recalling all the misfortunes that seemed to plague him.

"Fine," she grumbles, slightly irritated, and stuffs a lunch box into his arms. "Just do it soon. My brother and his teammates already know."

"Thanks."

"I won't keep waiting."

Kirihara nods solemnly and stares at her back as she returns to her brother's side. Footsteps approach him from behind and he hears Yagyuu greet him. "Yagyuu-senpai," he returns.

Yanagi takes a look at the crowd and remarks, "Tachibana Kippei and his sister."

Kirihara sneaks a peek and nonchalantly shrugs. "Mm, yeah."

"Tachibana's sister didn't chew you out for injuring her brother a few years back, did she?" Marui teases, slinging an arm around Kirihara's shoulders. It was uncomfortable, for Kirihara was taller than the red head. Marui notices the lunch box in the younger boy's arms and asks, "Did you have that before?"

"What? No, I got it from-"

"Ah! Your mystery _girlfriend."_

"It's not really a mystery or anything," Kirihara mumbles under his breath. Looking at the Tachibana siblings, he locks gazes with the younger and says, "An gave it to me."

There, they should know now.

His teammates contemplates his reply, staring at the lunch box with much concentration.

"You don't think she'd poison you, do you?" Niou says, jokingly. Kirihara frowns while the rest laugh at the Trickster's words.

"I-" Kirihara starts to explain, but his words are drowned out by his teammate's chatter. Seconds later, the initial topic is forgotten and the team heads back to the court where their own match would be held.

The fourth time Kirihara Akaya tries to tell his teammates about his girlfriend, they thought she was trying to kill him.

.~.

"Fucking hell, brat! Not even _Yukimura's_ had sex in the club room. What makes you think _you're_ so special?" Niou remarks, his hand on the doorknob as the whole team hovers outside, catching an eyeful of naughty business.

The day the regulars find out about his relationship with Tachibana An, Kirihara Akaya was caught with his hand up her shirt, cropping a feel, and his lips on her neck.

"I-" Kirihara snatches his hand out from under her shirt and blushes deep red, while An smooths her clothing and pats her hair.

"So it's An-chan! Why didn't you tell us earlier, Akaya?" Marui pipes out from behind Niou, waving his hand in greeting.

Exchanging sheepish looks with his girlfriend, Kirihara says, "I tried."

* * *

**A/N: There's some reference to my headcanon where Yukimura's weakness is blood-can be found on my tumblr, link's in my profile. ****The next one is short and it'll be up tomorrow when I wake up.**


	8. Stuck Monkey

**Rating:** K+  
**Genre: **Friendship  
**Characters: **Marui Bunta, Jackal Kuwahara  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary: **Jackal finds Marui stuck in a tree.

* * *

**Stuck Monkey**

"_What_ are you doing?"

"I'm stuck," Marui pitifully moaned in response, arms locked around the trunk of the tree, his feet dangling in the air. "Help?"

"_How?"_

"A ladder?"

Jackal rolled his eyes and sighed. "And _where_ would I find one? In case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of nowhere."

"I hate Yukimura and his training camps."

"How did you manage this anyway?"

"Bees."

"Yes, and you can escape from them by climbing a tree. _Clever_."

"I don't need your sass right now, Jackal." Marui scooted nearer to the thick trunk for greater support. He wrapped his legs around the trunk, now resembling a koala bear hanging on a tree. "Do you have _anything_ that can help?"

"I think Sanada has some rope." Jackal eyed his teammate, who was awkwardly trying to inch down the trunk, but was unable to pluck his bum off the branch it was planted on. "Want me to find him?"

"Please."


	9. I had a dream once

**A/N:** Normally I would send a reply through PM but I thought I should put this one here.

Response to _pandagame_: 'Study Till You Drop: Part I' was written when I had exams and I was stressed, and absolutely did not have the motivation at all to study. So I thought, okay, take a break, write this and get cracking (needless to say, it didn't work-because when did I _ever_ have the motivation to study.) I do have plans for the next part of this ministory but now that my exams and everything are over and it's the holidays, I really don't have the inspiration to pick it up. But I _will_ write the next part one day. It _will be done._ Thank you for your review :)

* * *

**Rating: **K+  
**Genre:** Friendship, slight angst (very tiny)  
**Characters:** Niou Masaharu, Yukimura Seiichi, Sanada Genichirou, Yanagi Renji, Marui Bunta, Jackal Kuwahara, Yagyuu Hiroshi, Kirihara Akaya  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary:** "I had a dream once," Niou shared. The eight of them sat in a circle around the campfire, the logs crackling as the flames devoured them. The air was cool and the night was silent. "I had a dream once—"

* * *

**"I had a dream once"**

"I had a dream once," Niou shared. The eight of them sat in a circle around the campfire, the logs crackling as the flames devoured them. The air was cool and the night was silent. "I had a dream once," he repeated, "a dream where we never met, and we were alone. Life was dull, I was stuck in a loop; going to school, heading back home, eating, sleeping, and repeat."

They stared at the fire, watching its orange glow light the darkness of the campsite.

"It was terrifying," Niou said with a slight shudder in his speech. "It makes you wonder whether everything we have right now is all a dream and then we'll wake up to see…nothing—emptiness." With a frown, Niou picked a stick up from the ground and played with it. "If parallel universes do exist, and there's one where we are anything but friends…I'd rather it didn't. Because, that's not a life at all."

Niou rustled the leaves under his shoes and gestured a hand to his right. Marui nodded at the signal and started, "I had a dream once…"

The night dragged on, as one by one, the regulars spilt the secrets of their hearts to their friends. By the end, they were comfortable in the heat of the flames and they shared a laugh, knowing that the world would never be a fair place, but as long as they were together…

They can defeat anything.

* * *

**A/N:** I will strive to make the next one longer and more humorous.


	10. Game of the Day

**Rating: **K+  
**Genre:** Friendship  
**Characters:** Rikkai Team  
**Warning(s):** Hints of NiouMarui UST

**Summary: **Yanagi leaves a puzzle for the team to crack. Or is it?

* * *

**Game of the Day**

One empty glass bottle, a broken windpipe, two blank pieces of paper, a ripped plastic bag, and five conches lay scattered on the floor of the clubroom that morning. Jackal had came across this scene five minutes ago, scratched his head whilst deep in thought, before sighing and backing away.

It was Yanagi's turn that day—for the game they played.

Kirihara sat cross-legged, shaking a conch in each hand at placing them over his ears. There was nary a clue and the data master was nowhere to be found. In other words, Kirihara was stumped. Him and the rest, save Jackal who went to grab a coffee or two, perhaps praying for his sanity and end of the day. Yukimura nudged the bottle with his feet, observing as it rolled, back and forth, back and forth, like a pendulum, hypnotising in its own strange way.

"Trash?" Marui suggested.

"You would wish for it to be so obvious," Niou snorted. "Try racking that brain of yours you brag about so much and _think_—_think_ back to the previous rounds; have our very own Yanagi Renji _ever_ made things so observable?"

"Even an immortal wouldn't live to see that day."

"Exactly."

"But we have no leads!" Marui protested, pacing across the room. "Unless this is some abstract art piece that he stole from a museum and is aiming to get us all fined—or, heavens, _arrested_—for theft, I can't see anything but trash!"

Yagyuu cleared his throat. "A letter in a glass bottle. The conches represent the sea."

"The windpipe and plastic bag would be unaccounted for," Sanada pointed out.

"That's what I feared," Yagyuu relented with a sigh. "I've never witnessed Yanagi-kun leaving no sign of a hint or clue; perhaps we've overlooked something important?"

"We've ransacked the clubroom." Yukimura shook his head. "The rules established does not allow for any starting items to be outside of the clubroom. This is it."

"If Yanagi is the clue, him not being _here_ means he's violated the rules, yeah?" Marui asked.

"Do you really think our Master would make such a silly error?" Niou remarks, shooting Marui down. They lunged at each other, growling and honestly, Yukimura shook his head, they ought to do something about that unresolved sexual tension between the two.

Sanada grumbled under his breath about practice being disrupted once again and tugs his cap over his eyes, secretly analysing the items strewn about the floor. Yanagi was going to be the death of them one day, Sanada swore. Jackal chose that exact moment to wander into the clubroom with a tray of coffee in his hands and the team pounced on him immediately, leaving no room for protest as they swiped a cup of coffee each, sipping eagerly with feral gazes.

"No progress?" Jackal asked a question that required no answer, for it was obvious from his teammates' behaviour.

"Maybe we shouldn't be looking at them individually, maybe we have to construct something out of them to figure out the clue," Yukimura suggested with a shrug.

"That…doesn't seem to far-fetched," Yagyuu mused. Yukimura eyed the rest and they all raised their hands because why the hell not? They didn't have any other ideas either way. So found the Rikkai regulars, minus Yanagi, sat on the floor in a lopsided circle surrounding the objects.

Yukimura grimly nodded at each of them and they counted to three, before hands started reaching in and assembling. It took them a few gruelling minutes but they managed to construct a crude looking, and way more fragile, Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Yukimura smiled proudly and said, "Well. That's nice."

"Is he telling us to go to Pisa because I don't think that's going to be possible, buchou," Jackal said, scratching his head.

"Nonsense," Yukimura said, "of course Renji—"

Not a moment too soon, said person walked through the door with a black duffel bag. Yanagi Renji stopped and stared at his teammates and said, "You're early. I never thought you'd be _this_ excited about my clue, I have to update my data."

"What the _fuck_?" Niou cursed and Marui pinched him for his foul language.

"Senpai, isn't this your clue?" Kirihara asked, gesturing to their construction, which was swaying dangerously.

"No?" Yanagi replied with the tilt of his head. He held the duffel bag up and continued, "I was just about to set it up."

"Then what the heck is this?" Marui exclaimed, jumping up.

Yanagi scrutinised their work and said, "Isn't that the artwork that was stolen from the museum two days ago?"

"_Holy fucking balls of_ _fuck._"

No one punished Niou for swearing this time.

* * *

**A/N: **Yanagi may or may not be a troll. Also it's been way too long, I'm so sorry! (If there's anyone even still here reading this.)


	11. Weak

**A/N:** To be honest I shouldn't be writing. But I'm so stressed thinking about the never-ending list of what I have to do and just, yeah. Sorry if this is really rushed and crappy, because it is unedited.

* * *

**Rating: **K+  
**Genre:** Friendship  
**Characters:** Rikkai Team  
**Warning(s):** None

**Summary: **Yukimura Seiichi is the opposite definition of _weak_.

* * *

**Weak**

Yukimura Seiichi is the opposite definition of _weak_. A fact that seems to go over the empty heads of the Rikkai University High School Division tennis club members.

_Weak_, they sneer behind his back, unaware of the ears he has hidden in the crowd,_ lost to a first, what a disgrace. Heard he was hospitalised last year, maybe he still has some sort of disease? Who cares! He lost to a _first year_—middle schooler, mind you. Yukimura Seiichi must be weak._

_Hah, _a bolder one goes,_ same for the rest of them. Weaklings, the whole lot._

Now, Yukimura can tolerate others badmouthing him because he'll show them in due time. But insulting _his _team? The one team who stuck with him through thick and thin, through _everything_? Now _that_ is something Yukimura Seiichi will not let go so easily.

In fact, not at all.

Yukimura stops in his tracks and the whispers die down within seconds. He may be a once captain, now disgraced, but Yukimura can still make others kneel before him without even lifting a finger. He turns to the right and spots Yanagi in the crowd, pinpointing the culprit.

"Mind repeating what you just said?" Yukimura speaks, the epitome of calm, but those who know him well knows otherwise.

The male is visibly scared but he swallows his fright and cocks his hip, tilting his chin up as a challenge. "Why not?" he says, "Let's have a match."

Yukimura smiles, all teeth and dangerous. "Let's."

Before the end of the day, whispers fly through the courts. _Strong. Yukimura Seiichi is strong. Who the hell are these first years?_

Flanked by Sanada and Yanagi, Yukimura watches from the top of the hill surrounding the tennis courts—like a king. Unrivalled and unbeatable. Yagyuu, Niou, Marui, and Jackal stand in a row behind the Three Demons of Rikkaidai.

Their legacy will go down and they will not be forgotten.

They will make sure of it.

* * *

**A/N: **I need to be strong too. Come check out my tumblr if you're interested, it's the same name as my penname. I reblog random fandom stuff.


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